‘Gotham’ 5×04 recap: Gordon and Penguin’s partnership continues as series’ final villain is revealed

WARNING: The following article contains spoilers from the fourth episode of Gotham‘s final season titled “Ruin.” Do not read if you have not seen the episode or read ahead at your own risk of being spoiled.

Jim Gordon’s (Ben McKenzie) newfound partnership with the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor) took another step forward on Thursday night’s episode of Gotham and the show finally revealed the real, yet unexpected “big bad” for its final run.

Thursday’s episode begins right after the explosion at Haven. There is fire blazing and people are screaming; in other words, it’s pure chaos. Barbara (Erin Richards) is still set on killing Penguin, but she reconsiders after seeing all the dead and injured people around her. Jim orders his men to go and find survivors, but Harvey (Donal Logue) stops and informs him that his badge was recovered, the same badge he’d given to that little boy.

Jim talks to the government on the radio, saying that more than 300 are dead. But at this point, he knows the city is on its own.

Bruce (David Mazouz) is still handcuffed to the door, just as Selina (Camren Bicondova) left him. I guess he didn’t magically escape, huh? Alfred (Sean Pertwee) comes to his rescue and frees him, but not before taking on some masked guards. Alfred tells Bruce that he won’t be able to save Selina from herself. But until he realizes that, he needs to go after her.

Penguin goes to the GCPD to offer Jim a truce. He brings the heavy weapons (or what’s left of them) over to the police to let them use them to get whoever blew up The Haven. Both the GCPD and Penguin’s group march to find the bomber but are ambushed by Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan), who is firing down on them. Jim gets cover, goes up to apprehend the gunman and arrests him in the process.

Meanwhile, Selina has caught up with Jeremiah (Cameron Monaghan) and witnesses him kill the guy who kept the kids captive. Selina dresses up as Ecco to fool the psychotic clown and stabs him repeatedly until Bruce stops her from killing him. We all know Jeremiah isn’t dead because we see him in a showdown with Bruce later in the season.

Penguin goes to the GCPD and takes Zsasz to trial. The people are angry for losing people in the explosion and want Zsasz’s head… literally. The people find him guilty, despite a last-minute plea from Jim, and was about to be beheaded. But Jim ultimately helps him escapes and sets him free.

We find out The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith) was the one responsible for The Haven being blown up from his visit to an old lady’s apartment. She tells him she saw him with a rocket as he launched it at the building and this was confirmed as she hit him in the head with a vase, triggering Ed’s memory. He then killed her by pushing her out of the window.

Episode Notes:

• At the end of the episode, Jim and Barbara share a kiss. Who saw that coming?!
• It looks like we may be getting Bane in the next few weeks. I’m very excited to see Gotham‘s take on this classic villain.

What did you make of the episode? Tell me in the comments below!

The fifth and final season of Gotham airs Thursdays at 8/7c on Fox.